diff --git a/fail2ban-testcases b/fail2ban-testcases
index 278dd890..8ba697b3 100755
--- a/fail2ban-testcases
+++ b/fail2ban-testcases
@@ -27,17 +27,26 @@ __license__ = "GPL"
 
 import unittest, logging, sys, time, os
 
+if sys.version_info >= (2, 6):
+	import json
+else:
+	try:
+		import simplejson as json
+	except ImportError:
+		json = None
+
 from common.version import version
 from testcases import banmanagertestcase
 from testcases import clientreadertestcase
 from testcases import failmanagertestcase
 from testcases import filtertestcase
-from testcases import samplestestcase
 from testcases import servertestcase
 from testcases import datedetectortestcase
 from testcases import actiontestcase
 from testcases import sockettestcase
 from testcases import misctestcase
+if json:
+	from testcases import samplestestcase
 
 from testcases.utils import FormatterWithTraceBack
 from server.mytime import MyTime
@@ -171,8 +180,9 @@ tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(filtertestcase.JailTests))
 
 # DateDetector
 tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(datedetectortestcase.DateDetectorTest))
-# Filter Regex tests with sample logs
-tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(samplestestcase.FilterSamplesRegex))
+if json:
+	# Filter Regex tests with sample logs
+	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(samplestestcase.FilterSamplesRegex))
 
 #
 # Extensive use-tests of different available filters backends
diff --git a/testcases/samplestestcase.py b/testcases/samplestestcase.py
index 2bb73ca1..656bbffa 100644
--- a/testcases/samplestestcase.py
+++ b/testcases/samplestestcase.py
@@ -22,7 +22,13 @@
 __copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2013 Steven Hiscocks"
 __license__ = "GPL"
 
-import unittest, os, fileinput, re, json, datetime
+import unittest, sys, os, fileinput, re, datetime
+
+if sys.version_info >= (2, 6):
+	import json
+else:
+	import simplejson as json
+	next = lambda x: x.next()
 
 from server.filter import Filter
 from client.filterreader import FilterReader